North Korea fires cruise missiles from sea near Sinpo

North Korea launched multiple cruise missiles from the East Sea near Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province, said the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Sunday...

A TV screen shows a file image of a North Korean missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul on Sunday. [AP/YONHAP]

North Korea launched multiple cruise missiles from a location in the East Sea near Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on Sunday, marking the North's second launch of cruise missiles within a week.

The JCS detected the missiles at around 8 a.m. on Sunday.

“South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are conducting detailed analysis on the launches,” said the JCS in a statement, adding they were watching for additional signs and activities from North Korea.

The latest launch came just four days after the North had fired a previous set of cruise missiles.

The location of the most recent launches fueled speculation that the missiles were fired from a submarine, including the Hero Kim Kun Ok tactical nuclear attack submarine first seen last September.

Sinpo is home to the North's submarine-related facilities and was the location where the North claimed it fired a cruise missile from a submarine in the East Sea on March 12, 2023.

North Korea is not explicitly banned from developing cruise missiles under United Nations Security Council resolutions, unlike ballistic missiles.

Powered by jet propulsion technology, cruise missiles usually fly at a lower speed and altitude than ballistic missiles.

However, experts say they still pose a risk to South Korea and Japan because they are harder to detect by radar.

Advanced cruise missiles are also harder to intercept because they are often self-navigating and can fly on extremely low-altitude trajectories compared to ballistic missiles.

North Korea, after the launch on Sunday, released a report largely pinning the blame on the United States and South Korea.

Referring to the joint cybersecurity exercise between Washington and Seoul on Jan. 15, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Sunday that the training was "aimed at provoking war as the United States and its followers openly promote the so-called 'end of the regime' and commit reckless military actions."

The report also referred to the joint military exercise between Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo on Jan. 18 involving U.S. Air Force B-1B nuclear strategic bombers and Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15 fighters, as well as the exercise on Jan. 22 involving the U.S. Air Force's RC-135 reconnaissance plane.

The KCNA report even threatened to use nuclear weapons on the United States and South Korea.

"Not only have we demonstrated through many opportunities that the state-of-the-art military equipment we possess is by no means for show off, it has also been a long time since we codified our own nuclear doctrine regarding the use of nuclear force," it said.

"We once again warn the United States and its puppet Republic of Korea that if the fuse of war ignites, they will become the target of our merciless conquest."

The North's latest military provocation followed days after Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong's visit to Pyongyang. The visit came as North Korea draws closer to Russia and China.

Leaders in Washington and Seoul have condemned the North's latest missile launches.

On the day that the North fired cruise missiles last week, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik called on the forces in the South to "eliminate the enemy leadership within the shortest possible time and announce the end of the regime" should the North start a war with the South.

On the same day, U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel called on the North to "refrain from further provocative, destabilizing actions and return to diplomacy."

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]